He looked toward Sofia to make sure that she was safe. He could not lose her. Another deminion attacked him, but he defeated him easily. Khameel and Martin had trained him well, and he obliterated his attacker through reflexes alone.
He thought back to his last conversation with his father. Rafe had told him that he loved him. His father knew that he was loved, and Rafe would be forever grateful that he had been given the opportunity to express his love to his father. He saw the way that Drake looked at Sofia before he sacrificed himself, and he knew that his father’s last act reflected his love for them. His father never claimed to be perfect or even good, but he certainly was not evil, and he hoped the Goddess would be merciful to him in the afterlife.
Rafe went back to casting his weapon to call over the field. He turned to see Angel doing the same. He couldn’t help but admire the strength and intense focus Angel had while he threw his daggers into his enemies. He looked calm and collected with each throw. He realized that he was captivated by Angel in a way he had never allowed himself to be before and almost looked away to focus on other threats when he saw a demon sneak up behind Angel.
“Look out!” he screamed and began running toward him.
He felt his heart drop to his stomach when a very large demon struck out at Angel. Angel turned to avoid the attack and escaped a direct hit, but the demon’s sword slashed his left arm. Everything seemed to slow down for Rafe. Angel grimaced in pain and raise his sword to block the demon’s next attack. His left arm hung limply at his side, and the demon grinned smugly at his prey.
Rafe came at the demon from his side. The demon raised his sword with one hand and slashed out with his sharp claws on the other hand. Angel would not be able to block both with just one arm working. Just as the demon’s arms starting descending, Rafe slashed his sword through the demon’s empty hand and watched its arm tumble to the ground.
The demon screamed and turned toward him. He had practiced with several greater demons at his father’s house. He knew that they could be extremely powerful and have their own powers if they were strong enough Diasodz before their transitions. He did not know this demon, though in that very moment, it didn’t matter. He would kill anyone who tried to hurt Angel.
Blood streamed from the demon’s severed arm but that did not stop him from attacking. Rafe stood ready for him and avoided his sword. When the demon turned with the momentum of his swing, Rafe struck him with an ax to the back. The demon roared and came full force at him.
As the demon swung his sword, Rafe blocked it. His sword cracked against the demon’s, and he knew that it could not withstand another hit. The demon raised his sword again, so he dropped his sword and called forth two axes, praying that he could use them to block the demon’s next attack. The demon’s eyes widen just as a blade burst through his chest from the back. When the blade withdrew, the demon disintegrated to reveal Angel holding the sword that struck the killing blow.
Rafe embraced Angel, holding him tightly. He hadn’t had time to process whether Angel was still alive once the demon had begun attacking him. Seeing him standing there, holding the sword in his good hand while his other arm hung limply at his side with blood trickling down, he could only understand that he loved Angel and couldn’t stand to lose him. The feeling was pure and unfiltered, and he allowed it to consume him.
“You saved me,” Angel said and embraced him with his one good arm.
“We saved each other,” he said as he pulled away, smiling. He looked down at Angel’s arm. “You need to get back home and have Sarah and Liana fix you up.”
Angel smiled so brightly that he almost forgot about the war happening around them. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ve still got one good arm, and I’ve got you to watch my other side.”
He smiled back and nodded. “Let’s do this, then,” he said and turned back to the field and began throwing axes again.
-o-
Sofia watched the carnage all around her. She stood with her sword in her hand, but very few Raizyns were getting near her. Her family protected her with everything they had. Nolan sliced through Raizyns one after another. Angel and Rafe threw their weapons to call, and Valerie shot her arrows at the enemies. Kai killed the demons with his spears, and Mel held her own. Demons and deminions exploded into ashes as they died, filling the battlefield with a blanket of gloom.
Ar’ch used his swords like the expert that he was, which captivated Sofia’s attention. She stood mesmerized by Ar’ch’s moves and almost ignored the vibrations that began in her own sword. She looked down at it. The pulsing became urgent, so she released the blade. It shone brilliantly as electricity buzzed around the edges. She surveyed the area. Everyone was engaged with a demon, and somehow, they had moved away from her, almost as if the Raizyns had strategically drawn them out.
It was then that she saw a demon running straight toward her. Her heart began racing with part fear and part anticipation. She was still human, and a blow could be fatal. She had heard her loved ones tell her repeatedly that she had to be protected. The demon running toward her had every intention of killing her; his feral eyes held one mission and one mission only: her death.
She gripped the hilt of her sword and smiled. As afraid as she was of dying, she was also eager to fight. She had been training nonstop since she had arrived on Caelagios, and she wanted to use what she had learned. She hated just standing there and watching everyone else in battle. These were her people, her family, and she wanted to do something – anything – to help them win the war.
She took a deep breath and centered her focus on the movements of the demon. He was fierce and agile, but his steps were systematic. As he raised his sword to bring it crashing down upon her, she gracefully bent her right knee and side-stepped away from him. She then used his momentum, as Ar’ch had taught her, and swung her sword into his back.
The demon screamed as her sword scorched his backside, but her force had not been deep enough to end his life. He turned to continue his attack, but this time he was a bit more cautious. Sofia’s heart was almost uncontainable. She swallowed as he thrust his sword toward her chest. She swung her sword to block him and cringed at the sound of the swords’ clanging. A jolt of electricity shot through her arm, but she embraced it and felt the sting turn into more of a caress. The demon, on the other hand, yelped in pain as his hand convulsed so violently that he dropped his sword.
The hatred in his eyes consumed him. He elongated his claws and ran straight toward her. She couldn’t believe that he would attack her without any defense, but she had no intention of underestimating him. She positioned herself so that she had the best angle to avoid his claws and prayed that her sword was longer than his arms. Before the thought completely formed, her sword vibrated again and grew another few inches. Just as the demon thrust his arm toward her, Sofia jabbed her sword into his side. The demon’s eyes widened as he staggered away. Before he had time to consider a second attack, he disintegrated into dust.
With the threat gone, her sword retreated to its resting state. She placed her hands on her hips and worked on slowing her breathing down. The adrenal rush overwhelmed her. She had done it! She had defeated a demon. She searched for her loved ones and found them all engaged in their own battles. She wished that she could help them out, but she already felt the adrenaline fading, almost as if her body was warning her not to get too excited. She was not there to fight one demon at a time. She was there for a higher purpose, but what was it?
She looked across the vast land and saw the Raizyns and Diasodz killing one another without a second thought. So much death. A demon threw a spear at her, but she blocked it with her shield. Before he could throw another one, Ar’ch attacked and killed him.
Sofia looked over to where Damiana knelt over Drake’s body. She couldn’t believe that Drake had given his life to protect her. Rafe had been right; he truly did love them both. He hadn’t been all evil. He had loved Sofia, and Damiana had killed him because of it.
She
thought about her prophecy. When the time is upon you, you must give of yourself to save those you love most. Drake had done that for her; he had sacrificed himself for her. She had denied him a relationship with her. She had turned away from him, and yet he still chose to love and protect her.
She looked at her friends and family. Not one of them was unscathed. Angel’s arm hung loosely at his side. Rafe had a gash above his eye. Kai bled from his leg. They were sweaty and bloody, but they fought with all their might to protect her. And all she could do was stand there.
Just then, Damiana stood and glared across the field through the death and destruction. She spread her arms at her side, and Sofia knew that she was gathering the energy she had stolen from her. Damiana prepared to unleash her power upon everyone she loved.
With her heart racing in fear, Sofia looked at her loved ones: Ar’ch, Angel, Rafe, Mel, Nolan, Valerie, Kai, and Z. She thought of Liana and Sarah waiting at home for their return. How was she supposed to save them all from Damiana’s power? How could she protect them so that they did not share the same fate as Drake? How could she predict who, or how many, Damiana would strike out against first? Her prophecy whispered in her head.
When the time is upon you, you must give of yourself to save those you love most.
Sofia stopped breathing for a moment. The pounding in her chest drowned out the sounds around her. A tear of clarity trickled down her cheek. She swallowed and took a deep breath. She finally understood what she must do. She was not just fire. She was light, and light obliterates darkness.
Sofia felt Angel and Ar’ch turn to her. They must have tuned into her emotional and mental state. She took another deep breath to steady her heart. She looked at Angel and Rafe and smiled. They fought with synchronized rhythm, and she knew that Rafe had finally embraced Angel. She felt peace in knowing that they would be there for each other.
Ar’ch defeated another demon and looked back at her with concern. The love she felt for him consumed her. She had always dreamed of being in love like the characters she had read about in her books, but reality had given her something much more powerful and more precious. She only wished she could have had more time with him, but happy endings don’t always happen in real life.
She looked at Ar’ch with all the love that she felt and mentally thought to him, I love you completely. His eyes held so much fear, but she couldn’t focus on that, and she couldn’t try to explain to him what she had to do. Not only was she out of time, but she had no doubt that he would have tried to stop her, and she couldn’t allow that to happen. She was born for this very moment, and she would honor her Goddess and protect her family, not out of obligation but out of love.
Damiana raised her hands, electricity sparking off her fingertips. Sofia knew it was now or never. She drew her energy within her, focusing on love and light. She saw image after image race through her mind: Liana caring for her after one of her fevers, Sarah providing her a bracelet to help her sort through her confusion, Rafe tackling her to the ground and tickling her, Angel healing her sore muscles after a rough workout, Mel trying to get her to buy sexier clothes, Nolan teaching her about their history, Valerie placing her hand on her back to give her the strength that she needed to defy her seed mother, and Ar’ch caressing her cheek before kissing her while they lay together by the lake under their golden willow tree.
She absorbed all the goodness in the world and all the love that she felt. She felt her center heat up with a glowing warmth and embraced it to encourage it to grow and gain power. Then, she flung that force across the battlefield. A blazing light shot out of her chest and filled the field, causing every evil being to disappear instantly.
Sofia did not stop pushing her energy outward until every ounce was spent. She would not take a chance that a single threat against her loved ones would survive. With her last bit of energy, Sofia saw her family safe and smiled. And as her light faded, she looked toward the permanent moon on the horizon with peace in her heart.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Ar’ch slashed through another demon and then turned to check on Sofia’s safety. With every demon he had killed, he had turned to check on her. He almost missed blocking an attack when he saw her go up against a demon. He ended that demon’s life quickly and was about to race to her side when she killed her attacker. His heart filled with pride and relief, but he hadn’t had time to celebrate because another onslaught of attacks began again.
With yet another successful slay, he turned to check on her again and knew something was wrong. There was no threat around her, but his chest began to tighten in fear. Her expression of fear mixed with resignation scared him more than all the Raizyns combined. He tried to reach her mentally, but she held her shield securely in place. He began to push through her shield when another demon attacked him. He expertly sliced through it and turned his attention back to her.
Something was very wrong. He couldn’t breathe. It was as if all his air had been sucked out of him. He couldn’t understand why he felt such despair. He followed Sofia’s gaze and saw Damiana preparing to use her power on them again. Knowing that her target would be Sofia, he knew he had to protect her, even if he died in the process. He tried to move toward her, but his limbs would not cooperate.
I love you completely, Sofia said in his mind. Ar’ch watched in paralyzing fear as she closed her eyes and spread her hands. He shook his head, somehow knowing that whatever happened next would rip him to shreds. He tried again to move, but something prevented him from reaching her. Panic overwhelmed him when he tried again to reach out to her and couldn’t.
As Sofia opened her eyes, he shielded his own from the blinding light surrounding her. Ar’ch and the other Diasodz collapsed to the ground, as if gravity had taken over their bodies. After he fell, he observed in awe as Sofia pushed that light away from her and across the battlefield.
It only lasted a few seconds, but he knew that whatever had happened in those few moments had altered his future forever. He opened his eyes and had difficulty seeing clearly. He blinked a few times and found Sofia standing with her arms spread wide. She looked devastatingly beautiful. She smiled with tears streaming down her cheeks. After looking across the field, she turned to him. He smiled at her with all the love and pride in his heart, and then she collapsed.
He felt the gravity that had been holding him disappear and he sped to Sofia’s side, grabbing her before her body could hit the ground. The moment his skin touched hers, he knew that she was gone. Her glassy eyes gazed up at him, but they were vacant of her life and spirit.
“No! No, no, no! You cannot leave me!” he cried. He felt a hand on his shoulder and shrugged it off. He pushed air into Sofia’s chest, willing her to breathe, but she did not stir.
Angel, with tears streaming down his face, said, “Brother, she’s gone.”
He rocked back and forth with Sofia in his arms, shaking his head in denial. “No, she can’t be gone. She’s still human. She can’t be dead.”
“Look around you, brother,” Angel said gently. “What do you see?” Ar’ch looked across the field. Angel continued, “They are gone, Ar’ch. Our enemies have been vanquished by Sofia’s light. She saved us all.”
Ar’ch saw Diasodz walking back to their loved ones; there was not a Raizyn in sight. He looked at his surrounding family. Kai held a crying Mel in his arms. Rafe and Angel stood close together with tears falling freely. Z looked at him with so much empathy that it broke his heart all over again. His father held his mother, who covered her mouth in disbelief. He wasn’t the only one suffering. They all loved Sofia, but none of them could do anything to save her.
Shaking his head, he gently closed her eyelids. “There should have been another way. She can’t be dead.”
Lucas walked over and bowed. “Our savior has fulfilled her prophecy. She deserves a hero’s burial.”
Ar’ch wanted to scream at Lucas that Sofia deserved to live! He wanted to yell at him that had the High Council heeded their warnings
from the beginning, they might have been able to prevent this from happening. He wanted someone to pay for the pain he felt, but he knew that nothing would bring her back. Instead, he gently lifted her body in his arms and stood. He took a deep breath and swallowed his despair.
“She does deserve a hero’s burial, but if the High Council would allow it, I would like for her death proceedings to be a private ceremony for only her family,” he said.
Lucas looked confused. “Her parents appear to be dead.”
Nolan stood next to Ar’ch. “Her family is right here, and my son is correct. I will take personal responsibility in hosting her death proceedings in private.”
Lucas nodded and bowed slightly. “As is our custom, your request will be honored. However, the leaders of each community will want to pay their respects.”
Nolan nodded. “Our High Council and the community leaders will be welcomed tomorrow.”
Lucas bowed again and said, “I will inform them of your invitation. I’m sure they will each be focused on the burial ceremonies for their fallen soldiers tonight. We will see you tomorrow. Blessed be.”
They all repeated the phrase as Lucas left. Nolan placed his hand on Ar’ch’s shoulders. “Let’s take Sofia home, son.”
He shook his head and looked over to the golden willow tree, whose leaves had once again turned silver. “She belongs at our willow tree, where all the elements are together.” He looked at Angel and Rafe, who both nodded in agreement.
“We must take her home first to prepare her, son,” Nolan said.
He looked at Sofia in her war clothes and nodded. “Right, of course,” he said.
He felt his father place his hand on his shoulder right before they were transported back to the house. The rest of his family arrived just seconds after them, but he focused on the footsteps rushing toward them. Liana and Sarah turned the corner and stopped in their tracks when they saw Sofia in his arms.
The One Awakened Page 26
